Chapter 27

Li Linxi said he had something to do, but in reality, he was following the team leader to the market and would have to wait for them to finish weighing the fish.

So, as Xiaobei was walking home with his sister-in-law, he saw Third Brother following them back home??

"Third Brother, didn't you say you had something to do?" Xiaobei asked, puzzled.

"I'm going back to change my clothes." Covered in mud, it wasn't suitable to go out. Besides, wearing too many clothes on the way to the market would be uncomfortable with the cold wind blowing.

"Oh…" Xiaobei nodded, preferring to chat with his sister-in-law about frying fish for dinner. "Sister-in-law, how many fish do you think we can get this afternoon?"

Xiaobei was excited; he wanted to eat a lot.

Jiang Manzhu, who was uncertain about how many labor points they had earned this year, looked up at Li Linxi, seeking his opinion.

"Probably… not many," Li Linxi said quietly. It was hard for him to speak about it; their older brother was sick and no longer with them, and their mother had been troubled for a long time because of him.

"It's okay. We can… By the way, Linxi, can we buy from the other villagers?" Jiang Manzhu said, somewhat excited but careful not to let others hear.

She leaned in closer to Li Linxi, lowering her voice as if afraid of being accused of 'private trading'—what was that term again? She forgot for a moment.

Regardless, could they do this?

Seeing Jiang Manzhu leaning in, Li Linxi's eyes flickered. "Sure."

Not every household prioritized meat; if they had money, they could buy it and use the money for daily necessities from the supply and marketing cooperative.

"Then it's settled." Jiang Manzhu nodded. "Should we use money or trade for grain?"

Upon hearing this, Li Linxi looked at her lightly. "You just got married, and you've been in the village for this long, and you still don't know?"

Immediately, Jiang Manzhu's face puffed up with anger, her sparkling eyes wide. "I just got married! It hasn't even been six months!!"

Li Linxi: You win.

"It can be either. In the village, there's no need to be so strict. Just like those young intellectuals, didn't they also buy things like bamboo mats from the villagers?" They were all from the same village; it wasn't like they were trading on the black market, so generally, no one would make a big deal about it.

"Xiaobei, did you hear that? We can let Linxi buy fish for us. We have oil at home, and frying it will definitely be fragrant. Tonight, we'll eat three big bowls of rice!"

Jiang Manzhu said with great enthusiasm, but this enthusiasm was really for Li Linxi.

Xiaobei looked eagerly at Third Brother without saying a word, as if to say: Third Brother, I want some.

What could Third Brother Li Linxi do? He could only silently accept Jiang Manzhu's words.

"Will it really be fried? Didn't they say we have to marinate it for the New Year first?" Xiaobei turned back to ask Jiang Manzhu, a bit skeptical. What if they didn't want to eat it?

"Well… how about one fish per person? But there might be fish bones. Our Xiaobei is so smart; can you handle the bones?"

Jiang Manzhu gently patted Xiaobei's head, worried that he might choke on a fish bone while eating, which would be terrible.

"I'll definitely be fine!" Xiaobei immediately raised his hand in assurance, afraid that if he hesitated, his sister-in-law would not let him eat fish.

"Is it really okay? Oh dear, I'm so worried. What if the fish smells too good and Xiaobei tries to swallow it whole without picking out the bones?"

Jiang Manzhu sighed dramatically, her expression suggesting: Should we not eat it?

Xiaobei didn't understand what pretending meant; he genuinely thought this meant they didn't want him to eat, and he panicked, his voice rising, "No, no! I promise I'll eat slowly. Sister-in-law, don't not let me eat."

He wanted fried fish, fried fish!!!

Just hearing it would be fragrant, and he could eat three big bowls of rice. He was so eager.

"Well, it all depends on whether our Xiaobei can listen. If Xiaobei eats slowly, we'll fry it again next time." They were just making plans, knowing he would be careful when eating the fried fish tonight.

Oh, to think of their little brother Xiaobei, they really put in a lot of effort.

Li Linxi listened as Jiang Manzhu educated her brother; although her words made Xiaobei a bit anxious, he didn't interrupt. Instead, he reflected on whether his previous way of communicating with Xiaobei needed to change.

When they got home, seeing them return so quickly, Liu Jumei worried someone had fallen into the fish pond and immediately asked, "Did anyone fall into the pond? Quickly change your clothes; I'll boil hot water for you to bathe."

Even during the day in winter, it was still cold, and if they caught a chill, getting sick would be miserable.

"Mom, no one fell in the pond, but we might have been blown by the wind. We need to make ginger soup to ward off the chill," Jiang Manzhu said. She had sneezed several times and was genuinely worried about catching a cold, so she quickly told her mother-in-law to prepare ginger soup.

"Okay, I'll make ginger soup for you." Liu Jumei, also concerned about the children, hurried to prepare the ginger soup, which worked well to dispel the cold.

The key was… they had ginger at home, making it easy to cook.

Caught by the ear and taken home, Su Qianqian was filled with indignation. After being scolded a few times, she could only return home in frustration.

She didn't dare to swat her mother's hand away, her expression mixed with some grievance, feeling that her mother didn't understand her and was blocking her from success.

Huang Yeying was truly furious this time, especially since things had escalated. If the other party found out, they might even break off the engagement.

She locked Su Qianqian in her room, forbidding her to eat lunch or dinner that day.

Thinking about how her husband would explode again over Qianqian's issues, her expression darkened. The beloved daughter had suddenly become less favored.

Her daughters-in-law also disliked this little sister-in-law. "Why lock her in her room? It's better to lock her in the woodshed and let her go hungry for two or three days."

"Exactly. No wonder she turned out like this. I can't even talk to others when I go out for fear they'll ask about my sister-in-law."

"What can we do? Her parents spoil her. Who told us we didn't have such good parents?"

The sisters-in-law were all sarcastic, feeling that they were working hard in the fields, raising children, and doing housework while not being as well off as a girl who did nothing. Who would be happy about that?

Unfortunately, their father-in-law was the team leader, so there was pressure.

That night, they whispered to their husbands, believing that over time, their husbands wouldn't treat the little sister-in-law so well anymore.

To put it bluntly, sometimes their own sons didn't even have a custard egg to eat.

It was one thing to not compare with their daughter, but to fall short of their son? Who could accept that?

"Alright, if anyone hears this, we'll be scolded again." The eldest sister-in-law lowered her voice, knowing that as a daughter-in-law, she had to be cautious.

Su Qianqian was furious, locked in her room, still throwing a tantrum, planning her escape, but the door wouldn't budge.

She shouted outside, but no one paid attention. Frustrated, she began to bang on the bed, thinking: When I succeed in the future, I definitely won't help any of you!!!

But the rest of the Su family was busy, having no time to care about a little girl's feelings, especially since Su Qianqian wasn't likable.

By noon, afternoon, and until bedtime, Su Qianqian went hungry and continued to sulk at her mother.

If you don't come apologize to me, I won't eat a single grain of rice from you.

That night, she was so hungry that she couldn't sleep, and by the next day, she couldn't help but plead for mercy.

Time rewinds to the day of the fish haul—

Li Linxi changed into clean clothes, put on a thick coat, and went out.

Waiting by the tractor, when he saw Li Linxi, the tractor driver chatted with him for a bit, "Heading to the market? To the supply cooperative?"

"Yeah, it's a holiday today, so I'm going to buy some things. Ah, it's cold in winter; not many people want to go out and catch colds."

Li Linxi maintains a gentle smile when interacting with others and doesn't annoy anyone during conversations, unless things really escalate or require confrontation.

When the captain finishes checking the fish and has them brought over in a large bucket, he sees the tractor driver chatting happily with Li Linxi. The driver even suggests that Li Linxi should go buy some items and sit in the front seat, taking up less space.

Originally, the captain intended to sit in the "passenger" seat, but now he has to stand in the tractor's back, exposed to the cold wind. No matter how warmly he dresses, the chill still seeps through. Luckily, he brought paper with him.

This is infuriating. On the way back, he must make Li Linxi stand in the back.

Achoo!

Achoo!

After sneezing several times, the captain has the fish unloaded while Li Linxi leaves in another direction.

The captain and others don't ask further, knowing he's gone to buy supplies.

When Li Linxi returns with a sack full of goods, the tractor driver thinks it contains things he bought, but he doesn't pry into what's inside.

By afternoon, there are few fish left for the collective, with the larger, fresher ones already sent to the grain station. However, everyone in the village is happy.

Not long after noon, people have already gathered in the open area. I came early, lined up early, so I get my share early!

After lunch, Jiang Man Zhu and Xiao Bei arrive, meeting old friends from the sent-down youth movement, though Jiang Man Zhu doesn't approach them.

The village women actively invite Jiang Man Zhu to gossip, especially since she is now Teacher Jiang. While everyone is busy fishing in the morning, they have free time in the afternoon.

"Teacher Jiang, how is my child doing in school?"

"Teacher Jiang, my kid is doing well in math homework…"

"Jiang Zh Qing, what happened this morning? Is that guy from your family, the third son of the Li family, getting married?"

"Jiang Zh Qing, are you really planning to stay with the Li family? You're not young anymore; as a woman, you need to find a man to rely on. My nephew…"

Jiang Man Zhu smiles gently, responding warmly, showing she gets along well with the women. It's clear they treat her kindly, possibly due to the glow and filter surrounding the "teacher" profession.

Even Xiao Bei, this little fool, now receives greetings from the village women, though mostly when Jiang Man Zhu is around.

Xiao Bei beams with a simple, happy smile. He doesn't overthink things and can't feel complex emotions. If others are cheerful, he happily joins in.

The atmosphere is good.

The village women are lovely, but one thing overwhelms Jiang Man Zhu: their enthusiasm.

They're eager to introduce her to potential partners, but Jiang Man Zhu is not crazy enough to accept.

"No, I'm still young."

"I want to keep guard for Lin Dong for a few more years."

Everyone thinks Jiang Man Zhu has some issues but doesn't say it out loud. After all, kind-hearted people are rare.

Jiang Man Zhu blushes at the compliment of being kind-hearted. Sorry, Comrade Li Lin Dong, but the original should be with you. You're not alone.

Amen.

When the fish distribution begins, everyone quickly crowds the line. Thankfully, they arrived early and are near the front.

Xiao Bei carries a bucket, eagerly wondering when it will be his turn. He hopes he won't lose out on the best fish.

Liu Jumei has gone to the vegetable garden, and Li Linxi hasn't returned yet. Only these two young, inexperienced comrades are responsible for this challenging task.

By noon, Liu Jumei has already calculated their work points for the year, and Jiang Man Zhu has a rough idea of the numbers.

Listening to Xiao Bei's worries, Jiang Man Zhu gently reassures him, "It's fine. There's a set amount, and the accountant should have calculated how much each person gets."

"Oh, that's good." Though Xiao Bei nods, he still worries. Until the fish are in his bucket, nothing is certain.

Finally, when it's their turn, they look at the ten or so fish in the bucket. In the first half of the year, both Li Lin Dong and Liu Jumei had full work points, and now with Li Linxi, things don't look bad.

They have three medium-sized fish and several smaller ones, but Xiao Bei and Jiang Man Zhu are still very happy.

"Xiao Bei, hold it steady." Jiang Man Zhu confidently hands the bucket to Xiao Bei, who walks home with a sense of pride, as if he's shouldering the family's livelihood, like a victorious rooster.

"Roar." Xiao Bei huffs and puffs. Even when Jiang Man Zhu offers to help, he insists on carrying it himself for the satisfaction.

When they return home, Li Linxi is already back, carrying a large sack. "Linxi, what did you bring back?"

"Food." Li Linxi replies casually, dropping the sack in front of Jiang Man Zhu, as if indicating she should take care of it.

Jiang Man Zhu looks at the large sack placed before her. Food? A whole sack? Curiously and amazed, she opens it and gasps—it's full of meat…

"Wow, so much meat! Is all of this for us? Linxi, how did you carry it back? Wasn't it heavy?" Jiang Man Zhu exclaims in shock. So much meat, how could no one notice? Wouldn't someone suspect something?

She had heard before that in these times, eating too much meat could get you reported by the neighbors for being petty bourgeois.

He carried it back without being found out?

Her eyes light up with joy at the sight of the meat, but then concern creeps in.

"I just brought it back like this." Li Linxi downplays it, not intending to elaborate, but Jiang Man Zhu's beautiful eyes are fixed on him.

Is it really okay to be so casual about this?

"Linxi, you need to be more careful. Times are tense now, and getting caught could lead to trouble." Jiang Man Zhu worries she might become the first offering to the male lead's overwhelming power, as the plot tends to revolve around him.

This non-couple big male lead will encounter some setbacks, but what if their family becomes a target due to Li Linxi's carelessness? That would be terrible!

"There were so many people during the day; luckily, everyone was queuing for fish. Linxi, remember, we have an elderly mother and young brother at home; you need to be more cautious."

Jiang Man Zhu whispers a reminder, knowing full well Li Linxi is revealing this to her because he usually leaves after work, so she had her suspicions.

Now, he seems to be testing her.

Li Linxi's dark eyes hold Jiang Man Zhu's gaze for several seconds; she mirrors his look, both knowing this is a silent battle.

"Sister-in-law, sister-in-law, when are we frying the fish?" Xiao Bei's voice calls from outside, full of anticipation, urging her to hurry and fry the fish.

This sound breaks the tense standoff after a few seconds. Jiang Man Zhu turns to leave, saying, "Come, bring the bucket over; we're going to kill the fish…"

No matter if it's frying or pickling, the fish innards need to be removed.

"Okay." Xiao Bei bounces happily, eager for fish, "Sister-in-law, I want to eat three bowls tonight—no, four bowls of rice."

"Alright, alright…" Her affectionate voice trails off as she walks further away, leaving Li Linxi looking down at the large sack in front of him. So, this is mine to handle, right?

A few seconds later, Li Linxi remembers that delicate Jiang Man Zhu probably can't handle fish. If the fish bile bursts, it'll make the fish bitter.

Quickly, he tidies up the contents of the sack, takes them out, and heads outside to find them. Watching Jiang Man Zhu's clumsy movements, he can't help but feel a sense of helplessness.

"Let me do it." Li Linxi steps forward and takes the knife from Jiang Man Zhu's hand.

Jiang Man Zhu, having her knife taken, can only squat by and watch, but seeing his swift movements, she joyfully claps.

"Truly worthy of Lingxi; even handling fish is so impressive." It seemed like everything that had just happened was forgotten.

"Yes, yes, Third Brother is amazing." Xiao Bei nodded repeatedly. Hurry up and process the fish so we can fry it and eat, eat, eat!!!

At this moment, many others were also handling fish nearby, gossiping, but Jiang Manzhu had no interest in listening.

She pondered what spices to add besides oil for frying the fish. Should she add salt? Damn it, it's all because my cooking skills aren't up to par!

I'm useless!! If I had known I would travel here, I would have learned how to fry fish… Ugh! I should have just copied a bunch of research to submit to the country and strive for excellence!

After scolding herself in her mind, she decided to ask her good mother-in-law, as she was the real cooking expert.

Although Liu Jumei thought frying fish was wasteful in terms of oil, seeing her children's eager faces, she finally kept quiet about being wasteful and decided to fry the fish for them.

The smell of frying fish was overwhelming, wafting from the kitchen to the next door, making the neighboring children cry out in hunger.

"Mom, I want to eat fish too; it smells so good…"

"Eat, eat, eat? Our fish is saved for the New Year."

"Grandma, I want to eat fish! Waaa, Xiao Bei's family is frying fish; it smells so good! I want some!"

"Fine, we'll boil some tonight! We have more fish than the Li family, so why not eat it?" His grandmother declared decisively. After all, it was just boiling fish; what was wrong with eating one today?

Liu Jumei didn't realize that the delicious fish smell she was creating had sparked a household battle next door; she only knew that the fish she was frying looked golden and delicious.

"Time to eat!!" With two fish, half for each person, the fragrant fried fish filled the air, and she felt she could eat multiple bowls of rice tonight.

Xiao Bei was very careful eating; his sister-in-law said that if he got fish bones stuck in his throat, it meant he couldn't eat fish. With so many fish at home, it wouldn't be for him.

How could that be?

After Jiang Manzhu had eaten her fill, she half-lay back in her chair, rubbing her round belly, feeling so full, burp~

"This is great; I wish I could eat meat every day." Xiao Bei imitated Jiang Manzhu, burped, and then sighed.

Liu Jumei couldn't help but laugh, "I wish too; in these times, just being able to eat enough is good enough, and you dare to dream of eating meat every day? Open your mouth to the northwest and see if you can get any?"

"Huh? Can I eat meat every day if I do that? Where is the northwest?" Xiao Bei, perhaps stuffed and not fully awake, immediately asked excitedly.

Hearing this, both Jiang Manzhu and Li Lingxi laughed, and Jiang Manzhu retorted, "Why don't you ask your friends how to eat the northwest wind to fill your stomach?"

Hahaha burp~

The next day, they boiled meat, and Jiang Manzhu happily touched her increasingly rosy cheeks.

"Oh no, eating so much is going to make my pretty face chubby." Jiang Manzhu smiled sweetly, and upon hearing this, Li Lingxi shot her a disdainful look.

"If that's the case, then your share of meat will go to Xiao Bei." The straightforward Li Lingxi specialized in pointing out any nonsense, earning a big eye roll from Jiang Manzhu.

Does he even know what it means to show off?

Jiang Manzhu felt that Li Lingxi needed a lesson in communication skills; his sarcastic tone clearly indicated he was being sarcastic.

"Li Lingxi, you need to learn the art of conversation. When you meet more people in the future, how will you deal with them?" Jiang Manzhu said earnestly, as if genuinely trying to teach him a profound truth.

Li Lingxi didn't want to engage, while Liu Jumei actually supported Jiang Manzhu's words. "What Manzhu said is right. You're a teacher now; you should behave well and not lead your students astray."

Facing his biased mother-in-law, Li Lingxi didn't want to argue and silently acknowledged this.

"Girls should eat more; being plump is a blessing. Manzhu, you're too thin; eat more meat and egg custard…" Turning to Jiang Manzhu, she spoke gently.

"Mom is right. I was just feeling emotional about being able to marry into the Li family and be your daughter-in-law; there's no better mother-in-law in the world than you."

Jiang Manzhu looked at Liu Jumei with tears in her eyes, praising her to the skies.

Liu Jumei felt a bit shy hearing this, coughing lightly, "That's also because our Manzhu is excellent, capable, and filial…"

Liu Jumei wasn't good at saying sentimental things, so she felt awkward saying this and quickly urged them to eat.

Privately, they weren't comfortable expressing such sentiments; spouses might share intimate talk, but with the kids, education nowadays was subtle, without straightforwardly saying, "I love the kids."

"Yes, Sister-in-law is really amazing," Xiao Bei chimed in, and his friends envied him for having such a good sister-in-law.

After breakfast, they tidied up and set off for school; winter mornings were pretty cold.

She didn't want to get out of bed earlier; now, all wrapped up, unfortunately, she didn't have a hat to cover her ears, making the cold wind freeze her ears as they walked out of the village towards the fields.

"The cold wind is too much; when will winter break start? I feel like I'm freezing to death." Jiang Manzhu complained, putting her hands in her pockets.

As for the little bag containing her water bottle and books, she handed it to Li Lingxi, unabashedly saying, "Lingxi, as the man of the house, the pillar, you can totally handle this little bit of weight."

If it weren't inappropriate, Jiang Manzhu would have wanted to pat Li Lingxi's shoulder to show her appreciation.

Li Lingxi didn't say anything or refuse, hanging the bag's handle on his wrist, also putting his hands in his pockets. "It is indeed quite cold; it should be nearing finals, right?"

"Yes, finals are coming up. You need to teach your class well; it's the graduating class. The principal must think highly of you to assign you to them right after joining."

Jiang Manzhu thought Li Lingxi should care more; if the final grades were worse this year, the principal would definitely regret it. Sigh, the salary difference between a fifth-grade teacher and a first-grade teacher was significant.

"Yeah." Li Lingxi nodded calmly, his demeanor showing he wasn't worried about this at all.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Manzhu decided to let it go. The male lead has an aura; he's capable. If he can handle business battles, why would he struggle as a teacher?

Jiang Manzhu figured there was no need for further conversation; they could talk anytime. It was too cold now, and just opening her mouth brought the cold wind.

Feeling the wind coming from the northeast or northwest, she quickly stepped to the other side of Li Lingxi. "What a pity; I forgot to bring an umbrella when I left; it could have blocked the wind."

Li Lingxi glanced down at Jiang Manzhu, a hint of regret on his stunning face, gently asking, "Are you talking about yourself or me?"

"Of course, I'm talking about myself! If I had brought an umbrella, I would definitely stand on your side to block the wind for you." Jiang Manzhu declared, I'm just that good of a person.

She smiled proudly but didn't move away, staying close to him…

"Remember to bring it next time, and also, don't stand so close." Li Lingxi reminded. Their relationship didn't suit such proximity, especially during the day when there were many people around; others might gossip.

No matter how much the captain prohibited it, they wouldn't say anything openly; privately, they would whisper and point.

As a man, he could afford to be thick-skinned, but it was more damaging for girls.

Jiang Manzhu instinctively stepped back two paces upon hearing this. However, the cold wind hit again, making her shiver.

"It seems I need to buy a thicker coat, something with a hood. Lingxi, don't walk so fast; let's walk side by side." It was fine not to be close, but walking side by side was perfectly acceptable.

"Lingxi, last time at the supply and marketing cooperative, I didn't notice if they had wool gloves for sale?" Jiang Manzhu felt she could fully arm herself; no matter the era, being sick was the worst.

"There should be." He hadn't paid attention, but they could check it out later, to get some for his mom and Xiao Bei… and maybe for this woman as well.

That would mean spending a good amount again.

Occasionally, she glanced at Li Lingxi, but in the end, she didn't mention her plans.

Her relationship with Li Lingxi wasn't suitable for him to buy things for her, so she was calculating what she needed to prepare for winter.

The necessities for winter clothing include especially coats, sweaters, and sleep pants. I also need to buy shoes. I wonder if Mom will knit some wool shoes.

Staying warm is essential to avoid catching a cold or getting sick. Winter is the time for nourishing foods, but I'm not sure what to buy for that—perhaps lamb stew?

Is there even lamb available in this place? Maybe there will be during the New Year, but we probably need meat vouchers, right?

Li Linxi watched the changing expressions on her face, sometimes joyful, sometimes contemplative, sometimes troubled… She wondered what was going through that little head of hers.

While Su Qianqian was out fishing, news spread that she was seen hugging another man by the fish pond, reaching her fiancé.

The man was a soldier, and their engagement had been arranged by their families. If it weren't for Su Qianqian being the daughter of the brigade leader, they wouldn't even consider her.

Now that such a scandal had erupted, especially with people from the production brigade witnessing it, the man's family was furious.

"We must break off the engagement! How shameless!" Who lets their daughter hug other men after getting engaged?

Whether it was intentional or not didn't matter; what mattered was that she was already sullied right after their engagement. If she could act this way before the wedding, what would stop her from cheating when her fiancé was away in the military?

This woman was someone they couldn't accept.

"She's the brigade leader's daughter! What if this causes a scandal and jeopardizes my son's future?" The angry parents sought out the matchmaker to annul the engagement.

The matchmaker wasn't pleased either; she had introduced several good suitors to Su Qianqian, only for her to stir up such trouble. She felt she had done nothing wrong to Huang Ye Ying!

If it were another family, she would have already arranged two marriages.

"Su family, come out!" Several furious individuals marched to the Su household, shouting as if they were at Mei Hua's place causing a scene.

On their way, they attracted a lot of attention. "Wow, are they going to the brigade leader's house? They look fierce. Are they here to fight?"

"Isn't that XX from the next village?"

"What? Are they proposing?"

"That doesn't seem likely. Who proposes without gifts and looks so aggressive?"

"Let's go see…"

Outside the Su brigade leader's house, many had gathered to witness the unfolding drama. Huang Ye Ying, upon hearing the noise outside, was initially furious. Who dared to cause trouble at their house?

However, once she stepped out and saw who it was, her anger turned to embarrassment. "Oh… um, in-law, you're here…"

"Don't call me in-law. I can't accept your daughter. My son is not worthy!" The old lady was fuming, her voice loud enough for everyone around to hear.

Oh, they're here to break the engagement?

"We must annul the engagement today!" The old lady got straight to the point, not wasting time on pleasantries.

"Since you're here, why don't you come in and talk?" Huang Ye Ying hoped to discuss things privately to avoid tarnishing both their reputations.

Unfortunately, the old lady didn't agree.

"There's nothing to discuss inside. I have nothing to hide. Your daughter's character is something my son can't tolerate. We are breaking off the engagement—marriage is a mutual affair, and we are no longer connected."

The old lady was aware that everyone in the production brigade knew about her son getting married. If they quietly broke the engagement, some shameless people might blame her.

She had already heard that Su Qianqian had been engaged before, but it ended without a proper explanation, which also brought shame to that man.

What if her son was blamed? She would be furious!

Such a daughter-in-law? No, they couldn't accept that.

Huang Ye Ying felt her expression darken, silently cursing Qianqian. Always so picky and troublesome, look where it had led!

"That was just an accident. It was crowded by the fish pond; it wasn't deliberate. Everyone has their clumsy moments." Huang Ye Ying thought the old lady was overreacting.

"Hmph, Fei Ying, don't think I don't know. That man was the one your daughter was engaged to before; the connection is still there. How disgusting!"

The old lady spat with disdain, nearly hitting Huang Ye Ying with her words.

Huang Ye Ying had never been scolded like this since her husband became brigade leader. No one had dared speak to her like that for years. Now, she couldn't even retort.

"What do you think? Our Qianqian is pure and innocent, and you want to break the engagement just like that? What will happen to her future?"

"You're spouting nonsense. Is it your son who's been messing around, which is why you want to break the engagement?"

Huang Ye Ying was quick on her feet and turned the blame back, asking why her son delayed their wedding, implying he might have found someone else.

"Shut your mouth! My son is a soldier, clean and proper. If you keep talking nonsense, I'll drag you to the police!" The old lady yelled angrily, nearly lunging at Huang Ye Ying.

"How dare you say my son is unfit for the engagement?"

"Fei Ying, don't make a scene. Let's part amicably. After all, no one is at a loss since you're not married yet." The matchmaker interjected, trying to mediate.

The old lady was justified in her anger; how could she have found such a troublesome girl?

She decided not to help with Su Qianqian's matchmaking anymore. What a waste of time!

Huang Ye Ying looked at the matchmaker, seeing her displeasure. "Fine, the items you brought before, let's take them out…"

It was noon, and the Su family was having lunch. The brigade leader was out, and the three daughters-in-law were at home. The other two stayed away, knowing it would be troublesome.

Their three sons sat outside, nervous that a fight might break out, wanting to protect their mother. After all, the last time Mei Hua caused a scene at the Li family, it escalated into a big fight.

The eldest daughter-in-law brought out the items, placing them on the ground without saying a word.

She blamed her sister-in-law for raising such a troublesome daughter. If it had been her daughter, she would have slapped her for causing such a scandal.

But her in-laws spoiled their children, leading to this disgrace.

"The items are here; you can check. If we're breaking off the engagement, let's do it." Huang Ye Ying forced a smile, pretending her earlier anger hadn't happened.

The onlookers were puzzled. "Hey? Aren't they going to fight? This is boring!"

When the brigade leader returned from the commune, he heard about his daughter's broken engagement. He was frustrated with his wife for letting such a mess unfold. Doesn't she know who they are?

"If she wants to act like this, then let her be with Luo, the educated youth. When they get married, they can live in the old house left by Dad."

The brigade leader didn't want to deal with Su Qianqian's troubles anymore. After all this selection, she still caused chaos.

"What? With Luo? He's not as good as that young man from the Li family." Huang Ye Ying frowned. No matter what, they were from the same production brigade and could at least look after each other.

"That young man from the Li family doesn't fancy our Qianqian, you know?" The brigade leader said tiredly.

Huang Ye Ying was silent. What was wrong with their daughter? Why was she so picky and troublesome?

"And don't tell her yet, or she'll make a scene." The brigade leader was too busy; winter was ending, and there were many matters to handle in the production brigade.

Huang Ye Ying wanted to argue but hesitated, thinking of Qianqian's temperament. "But Luo isn't suitable, how can she be with an educated youth?"

She worried that if Luo returned to the city, what would happen then?

"It's already spread that Qianqian and Luo are involved; who would still want our daughter? Marrying her off to those second-rate men?" The brigade leader thought Su Qianqian needed a serious lesson.

There were even rumors that she purposely fell into Li Linxi's arms by the pond, but he had avoided her. He was really furious.

If she weren't his daughter, he would have yelled at her!

Su Qianqian remained locked away, unaware that her engagement had been annulled and she was set to marry Luo, the educated youth.

The three sons of the Su family had been warned by their parents not to tell her anything. They understood her temperament and feared she would create another ruckus.

"Mom, Luo isn't a good match, is he? How did she end up with him?"

"That old hag made a fuss; our Qianqian has no reputation left. No decent family in the village will want her now. Should we marry her off to those useless men or old bachelors?"

Huang Ye Ying was also frustrated. How could she not care about her own daughter? But aside from Qianqian, she had three other more precious sons to consider.

As for the three daughters-in-law, they had no fondness for this troublesome sister-in-law. If she caused trouble, it would be better for her to disappear.

"Who cares? Marry her off quickly; once she's out of the house, she's like spilled water."

On the other side, Li Linxi had no idea that the person she was thinking about would soon be dealt with.

At this moment, she was busy buying winter necessities.

That noon, Jiang Manzhu returned home alone from school. Even with an umbrella, it was useless; the cold wind felt like it was attacking from all sides.

Jiang Manzhu wondered if she should replenish her energy and blood. Some people manage to stay warm in winter.

Upon returning home, she sneezed several times. Liu Jumei, seeing this, quickly poured her a bowl of ginger soup. "It's getting colder; when do you have winter break? Hurry and take your exams."

She was worried the child would catch a cold. "That sweater isn't warm enough; I'll knit you a thicker one."

After an early dinner, Jiang Manzhu went to bed. Ah, back in the days without electric heaters, electric blankets, or hot water bottles… wait? A hot water bottle? Could that be a possibility?

"Mom, do we have a bag for hot water? Like a water bottle that can hold hot water…" She called out immediately. She was quite the mama's girl.

Liu Jumei rummaged through the storage room and found a water bottle similar to a hot water bottle, filled it with water, and tucked it under the cotton blanket at her feet. "In winter, your feet can get cold when you sleep."

"Yes, yes! Mom, how can I replenish my energy? Red dates and goji berries?" Jiang Manzhu could only think of those since she feared there wouldn't be other supplies in these times of scarcity.

"Hmm, I'll bring back some yam, and eat more meat; anything will do!" Simple-minded Liu Jumei believed that meat was万能 (万能 means "all-powerful" or "versatile").

As the end of the year approached, there was still pork that hadn't been distributed.

"Let's eat well before the new year; that's more important than anything," Liu Jumei said she would treat her like a daughter, and she genuinely cared for her.

As they filled the hot water bottle, Li Linxi returned with a large bag of items, distributing one thick coat, a sweater, and warm sleep pants to each person—things Jiang Manzhu had mentioned wanting to buy before.

Jiang Manzhu instinctively looked up at Li Linxi, whose beautiful and delicate face was usually pale but now flushed with warmth. Her bright, glistening eyes sparkled with moisture.

Li Linxi paused, holding the plush coat, and slowly asked, "Do you have a fever??"